YOW
August 13th, 2006, 01:25 PM
As promised a while back, below is a ship review of Regatta from our Athens-Istanbul sailing in April...
(read the travelogue of the entire journey (http://amschwartz.livejournal.com) and see the destination pics (http://travelphotography.shutterfly.com) and ship pics (http://cruisephotography.shutterfly.com))
Regatta, at 30,000 tonnes and a capacity of 670 passengers and 400 crew, is more akin to a yacht when lined up against today’s mega-ships. Originally built as a series of eight vessels for the luxury line Renaissance Cruises, Regatta and sisters Nautica and Insignia were each given 5-million-dollar facelifts and compose the entire Oceania fleet today (meaning that one ship on Royal Caribbean, Carnival, or Princess would be larger than all of Oceania Cruises). From our stateroom amidships on Deck Seven, we were within a three or four minute walk of essentially everywhere onboard, a feat not possible with larger vessels. Not that we mind the walking, especially with all the food bound to be consumed on one of these sailings, yet it’s nice to have it all on a manageable scale.
Up top and forward is Horizons lounge, royal blue and plaid motif with generous cherry-wood paneling and floor-to-ceiling, 180-degree views. Horizons serves as the music and dancing venue in the evenings; is used for continental breakfast on port days – best croissants at sea, crusty and flaky on the outside, light and fluffy on the inside – and elegant afternoon tea every day, scones and the string quartet, not to be missed. Above Horizons is the sun deck, with private cabanas rarely if ever in use during the entire duration of the cruise, while below is the spa and fitness centre. Outside the spa are what had been two conference rooms, one of which has been converted into a card room and the other into Oceania@Sea, the ship’s internet and computer facility. While we did not go online at $0.95 per minute, we did take advantage of a couple of free classes on digital photography and Adobe PhotoShop; and even better were able to download our digital photos every day, sort through and touch them up, and burn two CDs (we’d taken nearly 1500 pictures, after all) at the end of the cruise, all for a $30 fee.
Amidships is the teak-decked pool area, with a running track circling the top, a salt-water pool and two hot tubs, comfortable lounge chairs running along the port and starboard sides, and wooden double benches that face either end of the pool and were oh, so relaxing when at sea. Aft of the pool area, top deck, is one of the nicest areas on Regatta, the library. With over a thousand titles available – I took Tom Friedman’s latest (while also reading “Devils of the Deep Blue Sea,” a tome about the cruise industry presumably not on the shelves of any ship at sea) – this wood-paneled room is a cozy spot to read or chat.
The library leads to Regatta’s two specialty restaurants, each of which occupies an aft corner. Toscana, where we dined twice, is a contemporary trattoria with favourites such as osso buco, pastas and risotto, antipasti such as carpaccio or calamari, and a nice selection of meats and seafood. The tiramisu is not to be misssed. Polo Grill, on the starboard aft corner, is a classic steakhouse, with mahogany panels and generous hunter greens. Our meal here on the second to last night of the cruise would feature a powerful set of courses including shrimp cocktail with the largest and most succulent shrimp we’d ever sunk our teeth into; a rich lobster bisque; caesar salad prepared tableside; classic surf and turf accompanied with oversized asparagus and creamed spinach; and a key lime pie and Tahitian vanilla bean ice cream that left us staggering out of the establishmen.
Leveraging the kitchen upstairs, Deck Nine aft offers the Terrace, home to breakfast and lunch buffets, and evening ‘Tapas on the Terrace.’ While the indoor eating areas are bright and airy, the highlight by far is the teak-floored, umbrella-festooned aft patio, and we’d come to eat many a meal out here, enjoying sea breezes and views of ports and sunsets. The Terrace, like each of the five dining venues, has its own china pattern, but its staff rotate from the other venues, meaning passengers and staff get to know each other, another nice feature of the small ship experience. That’s why, when you return from port, staff always greet you with “welcome home.”
Of the ten suppers aboard Regatta, we ate in the Grand Dining Room six times, read the menu on the other evenings, and never saw anything of the rotating entrees or appetizers repeated. A solid ‘A’ to Oceania for creativity and variety in its menu planning, even if not every dish was a complete hit. Appetizers included tiger prawns with orange Sauce and onion confit; chicken mousseline sausage with roquefort; and a salmon and scallop tartare for which Jen procured the recipe at the cooking demonstration. Salads were crisp, soups were varied, and an intermezzo of sorbet or daiquiri ice were de rigueur before entrees such as roasted lamb rack Provencale with herb crust, or sautéed sea bream fillet with rosemary butter. The desserts were consistently good, with daily rotating ice creams complementing a line of cakes and creations, chocolate and otherwise, though I sometimes opted for a simple sorbet along with a selection from the cheese trolley. All that is no surprise, given that the ‘chef’ for Oceania – not onboard but the consulting chef to the line – is Jacques Pepin, TV host, author, and chef extraordinaire. With that billing, one might look for some flaws in the dining experience, which Oceania boats to be “the finest at sea.” And so we looked.
Though the experience in the main dining room was overall an “A-”, we found some inconsistencies among the various staff. Unlike traditional cruises, Oceania offers anytime dining, meaning one can visit the dining room within a three-hour window and could end up with a different serving team each night. Some staff were energetic and highly efficient, while a few did seem, to us at least, to be a bit perfunctory in carrying out their work. And we encountered the occasional faux pas such as reaching across the table to place an item rather than walking around, or serving from the cheese tray in a haphazard manner that resulted in a less-than-attractive plating as well as cheese becoming mixed on the tray. On the Terrace, most staff eagerly served the iced tea, coffee/espresso/cappuccino (very nice, by the way, and not at an extra charge like many lines), lemonade and so forth from the quasi-self-serve station, but a few seemed to be standing by and not taking much interest in their work. In the specialty venues the service was outstanding, though compared to those on Celebrity Cruises perhaps not quite on the ‘impeccable’ level – ordering wine by the glass seemed off-putting once at Toscana. As for the cuisine itself, as stated above the creativity gets high marks, but the end results were sometimes only fair. One of the Jacques Pepin signature dishes is the herb-crusted rotisserie chicken, available every night along with the aforementioned signature steak frites. While the latter was succulent and was worth ordering (even as a ‘second entree’) on subsequent nights, we found the chicken to be unremarkable and on the dry side. At least two of the soups had far too much salt, surprising when much of the clientele are older and health-conscious. And a couple of the more adventurous entrees, such as the attempt at ‘tandoori chicken,’ simply fell flat.
All that being said, however, we’d recommend Oceania to just about anyone looking for a cruise experience, and would add that, in a time when mainstream cruise lines are cutting back their food budgets, Oceania probably does offer some of the best dining at sea. The ship’s crew and staff in general are quite friendly, saying “hello” whenever you see them and going out of their way to help whenever possible. As said before, the clientele aboard Oceania’s sailings to tend to be a bit older, although here on the Mediterranean they seem to be a more fit and energetic lot. Still, this can present certain challenges for crew and staff, and we thought the Oceania gang did a fine job. Cruise director David Shermet was informative and entertaining, and we had several nice chats, most notably about how he’d played baseball at the University of Arizona and who we knew in common. While the Oceania ships are too small for Broadway-scale production shows, the theatre is intimate and hosted daily entertainment ranging from a musical revue, to comedy and magic, to the talented violinist Hanna Starosta. And the martini bar, itself a cozy space at both day and night, featured lively piano music and good spirits sailing well into the night.
As on most cruises, we were disappointed to have to leave Regatta, and of course the 10 days had sailed by (sorry, couldn’t resist the pun) far too quickly. We’d most certainly sail with Oceania in the future, particularly if their itineraries can get more exotic and the ‘2-for-1’ and ‘free air’ deal is available again.
(read the travelogue of the entire journey (http://amschwartz.livejournal.com) and see the destination pics (http://travelphotography.shutterfly.com) and ship pics (http://cruisephotography.shutterfly.com))
Regatta, at 30,000 tonnes and a capacity of 670 passengers and 400 crew, is more akin to a yacht when lined up against today’s mega-ships. Originally built as a series of eight vessels for the luxury line Renaissance Cruises, Regatta and sisters Nautica and Insignia were each given 5-million-dollar facelifts and compose the entire Oceania fleet today (meaning that one ship on Royal Caribbean, Carnival, or Princess would be larger than all of Oceania Cruises). From our stateroom amidships on Deck Seven, we were within a three or four minute walk of essentially everywhere onboard, a feat not possible with larger vessels. Not that we mind the walking, especially with all the food bound to be consumed on one of these sailings, yet it’s nice to have it all on a manageable scale.
Up top and forward is Horizons lounge, royal blue and plaid motif with generous cherry-wood paneling and floor-to-ceiling, 180-degree views. Horizons serves as the music and dancing venue in the evenings; is used for continental breakfast on port days – best croissants at sea, crusty and flaky on the outside, light and fluffy on the inside – and elegant afternoon tea every day, scones and the string quartet, not to be missed. Above Horizons is the sun deck, with private cabanas rarely if ever in use during the entire duration of the cruise, while below is the spa and fitness centre. Outside the spa are what had been two conference rooms, one of which has been converted into a card room and the other into Oceania@Sea, the ship’s internet and computer facility. While we did not go online at $0.95 per minute, we did take advantage of a couple of free classes on digital photography and Adobe PhotoShop; and even better were able to download our digital photos every day, sort through and touch them up, and burn two CDs (we’d taken nearly 1500 pictures, after all) at the end of the cruise, all for a $30 fee.
Amidships is the teak-decked pool area, with a running track circling the top, a salt-water pool and two hot tubs, comfortable lounge chairs running along the port and starboard sides, and wooden double benches that face either end of the pool and were oh, so relaxing when at sea. Aft of the pool area, top deck, is one of the nicest areas on Regatta, the library. With over a thousand titles available – I took Tom Friedman’s latest (while also reading “Devils of the Deep Blue Sea,” a tome about the cruise industry presumably not on the shelves of any ship at sea) – this wood-paneled room is a cozy spot to read or chat.
The library leads to Regatta’s two specialty restaurants, each of which occupies an aft corner. Toscana, where we dined twice, is a contemporary trattoria with favourites such as osso buco, pastas and risotto, antipasti such as carpaccio or calamari, and a nice selection of meats and seafood. The tiramisu is not to be misssed. Polo Grill, on the starboard aft corner, is a classic steakhouse, with mahogany panels and generous hunter greens. Our meal here on the second to last night of the cruise would feature a powerful set of courses including shrimp cocktail with the largest and most succulent shrimp we’d ever sunk our teeth into; a rich lobster bisque; caesar salad prepared tableside; classic surf and turf accompanied with oversized asparagus and creamed spinach; and a key lime pie and Tahitian vanilla bean ice cream that left us staggering out of the establishmen.
Leveraging the kitchen upstairs, Deck Nine aft offers the Terrace, home to breakfast and lunch buffets, and evening ‘Tapas on the Terrace.’ While the indoor eating areas are bright and airy, the highlight by far is the teak-floored, umbrella-festooned aft patio, and we’d come to eat many a meal out here, enjoying sea breezes and views of ports and sunsets. The Terrace, like each of the five dining venues, has its own china pattern, but its staff rotate from the other venues, meaning passengers and staff get to know each other, another nice feature of the small ship experience. That’s why, when you return from port, staff always greet you with “welcome home.”
Of the ten suppers aboard Regatta, we ate in the Grand Dining Room six times, read the menu on the other evenings, and never saw anything of the rotating entrees or appetizers repeated. A solid ‘A’ to Oceania for creativity and variety in its menu planning, even if not every dish was a complete hit. Appetizers included tiger prawns with orange Sauce and onion confit; chicken mousseline sausage with roquefort; and a salmon and scallop tartare for which Jen procured the recipe at the cooking demonstration. Salads were crisp, soups were varied, and an intermezzo of sorbet or daiquiri ice were de rigueur before entrees such as roasted lamb rack Provencale with herb crust, or sautéed sea bream fillet with rosemary butter. The desserts were consistently good, with daily rotating ice creams complementing a line of cakes and creations, chocolate and otherwise, though I sometimes opted for a simple sorbet along with a selection from the cheese trolley. All that is no surprise, given that the ‘chef’ for Oceania – not onboard but the consulting chef to the line – is Jacques Pepin, TV host, author, and chef extraordinaire. With that billing, one might look for some flaws in the dining experience, which Oceania boats to be “the finest at sea.” And so we looked.
Though the experience in the main dining room was overall an “A-”, we found some inconsistencies among the various staff. Unlike traditional cruises, Oceania offers anytime dining, meaning one can visit the dining room within a three-hour window and could end up with a different serving team each night. Some staff were energetic and highly efficient, while a few did seem, to us at least, to be a bit perfunctory in carrying out their work. And we encountered the occasional faux pas such as reaching across the table to place an item rather than walking around, or serving from the cheese tray in a haphazard manner that resulted in a less-than-attractive plating as well as cheese becoming mixed on the tray. On the Terrace, most staff eagerly served the iced tea, coffee/espresso/cappuccino (very nice, by the way, and not at an extra charge like many lines), lemonade and so forth from the quasi-self-serve station, but a few seemed to be standing by and not taking much interest in their work. In the specialty venues the service was outstanding, though compared to those on Celebrity Cruises perhaps not quite on the ‘impeccable’ level – ordering wine by the glass seemed off-putting once at Toscana. As for the cuisine itself, as stated above the creativity gets high marks, but the end results were sometimes only fair. One of the Jacques Pepin signature dishes is the herb-crusted rotisserie chicken, available every night along with the aforementioned signature steak frites. While the latter was succulent and was worth ordering (even as a ‘second entree’) on subsequent nights, we found the chicken to be unremarkable and on the dry side. At least two of the soups had far too much salt, surprising when much of the clientele are older and health-conscious. And a couple of the more adventurous entrees, such as the attempt at ‘tandoori chicken,’ simply fell flat.
All that being said, however, we’d recommend Oceania to just about anyone looking for a cruise experience, and would add that, in a time when mainstream cruise lines are cutting back their food budgets, Oceania probably does offer some of the best dining at sea. The ship’s crew and staff in general are quite friendly, saying “hello” whenever you see them and going out of their way to help whenever possible. As said before, the clientele aboard Oceania’s sailings to tend to be a bit older, although here on the Mediterranean they seem to be a more fit and energetic lot. Still, this can present certain challenges for crew and staff, and we thought the Oceania gang did a fine job. Cruise director David Shermet was informative and entertaining, and we had several nice chats, most notably about how he’d played baseball at the University of Arizona and who we knew in common. While the Oceania ships are too small for Broadway-scale production shows, the theatre is intimate and hosted daily entertainment ranging from a musical revue, to comedy and magic, to the talented violinist Hanna Starosta. And the martini bar, itself a cozy space at both day and night, featured lively piano music and good spirits sailing well into the night.
As on most cruises, we were disappointed to have to leave Regatta, and of course the 10 days had sailed by (sorry, couldn’t resist the pun) far too quickly. We’d most certainly sail with Oceania in the future, particularly if their itineraries can get more exotic and the ‘2-for-1’ and ‘free air’ deal is available again.